


Erestasia

by LaddyAnonymous



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Character Death, Duchess Mikasa, Duke Eren, F/F, F/M, Imperial Russia, King Grisha, King Reiner, Kissing, M/M, Paris (City), Queen Carla, Queen Mikasa, Royalty, Russia, Secret Relationship, Servant Levi, Slow Build, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-02-28 00:18:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2712023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaddyAnonymous/pseuds/LaddyAnonymous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The imperial highness Erestasia Yeager (Eren) of Russia was the youngest son of Grisha II and his wife, Carla Alexandra. Erestasia was also the last sovereign of the Imperial Russia. An evil man by the name of Nilsputin (Nile) puts a curse over the entire family and plans to kill every last one of them. When the castle is overrun by the Bolshevik police, Erestasia escapes with Duchess Ackerman, better known as Mikasa, with the help of the servant boy. But before they can escape Mikasa loses Erestasia in a terrible accident. What Mikasa doesn't know is.. He's alive and now going by the name Eren and living in an orphanage. He suffers from amnesia. He remembers nothing of his past. All he has a key around his neck that says "Together in Paris." When Grand Duchess Mikasa Ackerman, offers a reward for Erestasia's return, Two scheming men by the name of Levi and Erwin, plan to give Mikasa a phony and run off with the money before she realizes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Imperial Palace

The year was 1909, in Petersburg, Russia, Grisha II was throwing a grand ball to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Yeager rule, Dukes and Duchesses come from everywhere to celebrate the grand anniversary, even Duchess Ackerman, better known as Mikasa, from her home land in Paris, her parents had come to see Grisha and Carla, one finale time before they would have to wait a whole year before the next visit.

Mikasa had turned 28 and would have to start her life as a leader and not a child. Her parents wanted her to marry and taken over for them. Before she had left Paris, she had customarily made a music box that played the melody she sang to the imperial highness Erestasia every night before he went to bed, knowing she’d be gone for a whole year and unable to sing him to sleep anymore.

Erestasia was the second youngest of Grisha’s children out of Maria, Rose, Sina, and Armin- the youngest boy. Mikasa knew she would miss a whole year of singing him to sleep and his 9th birthday, which greatly sadden her. So, when she finally arrived to Russia, she pulled Erestasia and Armin into her arms for a tight hug, Mikasa was like the all of the children’s sister, they all loved her.

While everyone danced, she called over Erestasia, who was dancing with Grisha with a huge smile of happiness. She pulled Erestasia into her lap with a sweet smile and kissed his forehead. “Moya malenkaya odin.” She said, he smiled up at her and wrapped his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly, his face resting between her neck and chin. She wrapped her arms around his waist tightly, hugging him back. “Erestasia, I got you something.” She says to him, his eyes widen as she gently pulls away his arms from around her neck and pulls out a little golden and green music box from her baguette, it was the shape of a circle, with white little pearls encrusted all around it. Erestasia watched it in fascination. “Look.” Mikasa said, as she pulled a necklace with a golden master shaped key on it, from around her neck, she placed the golden key into the little locket hole on the music box and twisted it a couple times, slowly the top lifted up with the soft melody playing in the air.

“Our song!” He gasped out and grinned at Mikasa. “I love it!” He yelled out, inside the music box was two little figures that looked a lot like Carla and Grisha, dancing forever in an waltz, on the lid of the music box, inside, was the painting of two wings, one white and one navy blue. Erestasia and Mikasa softly sing along to the melody, their faces spread in a wide smile.

While they were having their beautiful moment, they didn’t notice the server boy standing a distance away, behind the chair watching in silence, Levi wouldn’t admit it if he was paid in riches but the moment almost made him crack a smile, but before he could his arm was grabbed and he was forced to turn and face Pixis, the chief. “Hey, you’re supposed to be in the kitchen.” He yelled and yanked on his upper arm. He tried to rip his arm away from the older man’s grasp but failed and was dragged back into the kitchen to go back to work. Levi was about the age of fourteen at the time and working as a servant for the imperial palace for money for his family, who, to him, didn’t deserve the time of day or any of his hard earned money. He was thrown into the kitchen by Pixis, who just rolled his eyes and went back to cooking. He glared at him and got back to chopping.

Meanwhile in the ballroom, Mikasa had placed Erestasia back on his feet and was placing the key around his neck, gently. He picked up the key in his two hands and examined it, around the handle of the top of the key were the words, engraved. “Together in Paris.” вместе в Париже.. Erestasia’s face broke out in a wide grin of excitement, his gaze going from the key to look up at Mikasa, meeting her eyes. “Really?!” He asked. She nodded with a smile. “Yes, really!” He ran into her arms, knocking the air out of her, slightly. “But.. Moya malenkaya odin. I have to tell you, why. I made the box.” She said with a frown. “I made it, because I will be gone for quite some time. So, for every night, I’m not here, twist up the music box and think of it, as me singing you to sleep.” Erestasia’s smile falls for a second but he quickly forces a smile back on his face. “Please don’t go.” He begged. “I’m sorry, but I have no choice. So, be a good boy and go easy on the servants. Got it?” She says, he nods and hugs her once again.

BUT THEY WOULD NEVER BE TOGETHER…

* * *

 

A few hours into the ball a man showed up, pushing his way through the dancing lovers, but as they seen, who he was, they all backed away, in fear. Once he got to the thorn, where Grisha and the queen Carla sat, Grisha had run up to the man in anger and fear for his family. The man’s name was Nilsputin, they had thought he was a holy man but he was a fraud, he was power hungry and dangerous. He had sold his soul for the power to end the Yeager line. “How dare you step a foot in my palace!” Grisha had said. Nilsputin had just smiled. “But I am your confidant!” He said with a sad mocking frown. “Confidant?! Ha! You are a lying trader!” Grisha seethed. “”Get out!” Nilsputin’s features, that were once. So, playful and happy turned to cold and angry. “You can’t banish, the great Nilsputin!?” He yelled at Grisha. “By the unholy powers invested in me! I banish you” He poked Grisha in the chest, hard. “With a curse!”

The sounds of gasps filled Grisha’s ears, even Mikasa and Erestasia gasped in horror, along with Levi, who had snuck out again to watch the beautiful ball filled with waltzing couples, that had now turned into a morbid situation. “Mark my words, Grisha.” He jabbed his finger at him. “You and your family will die, within the fortnight.” He laughed loudly then glared at him. “I will not rest, until I see the end of the Yeager line, forever!” He yelled out in the room, his voice echoing around the room and into everyone’s ears. Nilsputin with a sharp turn, he turned around and pointed the glowing green tube in his hand, at the 300 pound, golden chandelier, that had pictures of the Yeager family heirs on it. The weird glowing green tube was wrapped in metal skulls, a big skull as the lid to the bottle, the skulls mouth opened wide and out, shot fast green blurs of light.

There were screams as the chandelier hit the ground, some unlucky people not making it out of the way and being crushed. Mikasa covered Erestasia eyes at the horror, a young man had only made it half way out, half his body was crushed, another young man was by his side, holding onto his hand and crying. Mikasa knew their name’s, it was Jean Kirstein and Marco Bott. Marco, wasn’t so lucky, as she could see. She closed her eyes tightly and turned Erestasia in her arms, pressing his face into her neck and hiding him from the blood and gore, the falling of that old chandelier had done to some of the people. Levi had watched in shock as it fell, he didn’t even know, how to react.

_What were those thing’s, was everyone’s question._

The room filled with panic, people running and Grisha screaming for everyone to calm down, in the panic of it all, no one had noticed that Nilsputin had fled.

SENSE THAT MOMENT ON, THE SPARK AND THE HAPPINESS IN THEIR WORLD HAD TURNED INTO A BLAZZING FIRE..

* * *

 

On the fourth night, Mikasa had been singing Erestasia to sleep when she heard the screams and the sounds of gun shots, even the sound of something being torn down, to smash onto the ground. She pulled Erestasia out of bed and pulled his night rode onto him, he was in a slight sleepy daze. “Mikasa? What’s happening?” A loud bang followed by a scream woke him up. “What was that?!” He asked in panic, Mikasa just ignored him and pulled the bedroom door open, Erestasia’s hand in hers. “We need to go. No, talking just run!” She said and start running down the hallway, with the others. “I’m scared!” He yelled out to her. “Just keep running!”

But they didn’t he pulled his hand out of hers and started running the opposite way. “My music box!” He yelled out and ran back into his room, he dashed over to the little doll house made to look like the castle and grabbed the music box off the top self. “Erestasia!” Mikasa yelled out as she got into his bedroom. “We need to-“ Mikasa was cut off by a loud explosion, making them both flinch. Mikasa ran over to him and grabbed his arm, running towards the door but before she could, someone grabbed her jacket. She turned with a raised fist and planned to punch the person right in the jaw but instead her fist was grabbed. “Stop, that way isn’t safe! They are running down that hallway right this minute!” It was the servant boy.

Mikasa’s eyes widened.“That means!” She turned towards the door but was stopped again by Levi’s hand on her jacket. “It’s too late!” He yells out and pulls both of them towards the wall. “What are you-“ Mikasa’s speech cuts off as he opens a secret hidden wall. “Out this way, go out through the servant’s quarters!” He says. Mikasa pushes Erestasia in first, making him drop the music box, he turns to grab it but Levi shoves him in. “My music box!” He yells out. But Mikasa pushes him through and Levi closes the door.

The sound of yelling and something breaking then a thunk, makes his chest tighten. “Mikasa… Is he?” He asks her. “Y-Yes..” She replies and they continue through.

* * *

They make it out side, the cold biting at their skin, they run and run, Mikasa still holding his hand in a tight grasp. But as they run under a bridge, something lands on Erestasia’s back, knocking the air out of him. “Mikasa!” He screams out, she falls over, having her hand ripped of his, so, quickly, she had lost balance.

She looks to see Nilsputin on the ground and gripping tightly to Erestasia’s leg. He kicks and kicks, begging the weird and unhealthily looking man to let go of his leg. Mikasa, grabs his shoulders and pulls as hard as she can. “Let go of him!” She screams out. “You’ll never escape me, Child, never.” He growls out, but he cuts himself off as the icy ground around him begins to crack, his eyes widen. He accidently lets go of his foot in a panic to grab the icy ground but his fingers won’t hook into anything.

“No!” He screams out as Mikasa, picks up Eren and starts running. “Come back!” He screams out, again, in anger.

As Mikasa’s running no one notices the white bat that hits the ground in front of Nilsputin, screaming out. “Master!” But it’s too late. He goes under, the icy waters.

They make it to the train station, that’s crowded with people. Mikasa spots a leaving train and grips Erestasia’s hand tighter. “Hurry, Erestasia!” She yells and runs towards the train. She gets to the latter on the back and let’s go of his hand, climbing on, with the help of one of the passengers.

Once she’s on, she turns to see, that Erestasia isn’t on the latter but running towards the train. “Erestasia!” She screams out and reaches over the railing- if not for the male passenger. She would’ve fallen over – towards him.

“Here, take my hand!” He reaches out hard and grabs a hold of barley her fingers. “Hold onto my hand!” She screams out. “Don’t let go!” He yells back to her. She uses all her strength and tries to pull him up but before she can, their grip starts to slip and they lose each other’s hands.

“Erestasia!” She screams out. He hits the ground head first and falls unconscious, the distance screams of Mikasa cutting out and the cold fading away.

SO, MANY LIVES WERE DESTORYED THAT NIGHT. WHAT HAD ALWAYS BEEN, WAS NOW FOREVER GONE.


	2. Chapter 2

When the servant boy Levi wakes up from his unconscious sleep, it was chaos, people running back and forth and fighting. The Bolshevik police were nowhere in sight, only random people from the streets of Russia. Levi watched as the people lost their minds. A red haired woman was over by the highness Erestasia bed, ripping the sheets and blankets off, like a mad women.  On the far left by the large body length windows was a blonde man with thick glasses, fighting with a greasy haired black haired man over the royal red velvet silk curtains. There was a crashing sound and screams.

Levi continued to look around, till his eyes focused on the little music box only 2 feet away from his face, at the same time he noticed the box, so did a man with sunk in grey eyes and a grimy brown bread. He dashed for it with wild eyes, but Levi quickly sat up and grabbed the box. He made a dash for it, the man running after him yelling ‘Come back here, brat’. The whole house was trashed, crazy people ripping things apart and others with expansive items spilling from their arms. He knew most of the people here were going to make a lot of money off those items.

As he was running full speed at the door, he was smashed into by a blonde boy that was holding a something made of glass, because it was now in a million pieces all over the carpeted floor. “Hey, watch it!” He yelled, the boy looked at the other boy in front of him, his eyes widened. “Oh, Levi. It’s you. What are you doing here?” The blonde boy asked and kneeled down, picking up the broken glass. Levi hit the blonde boy on the top of the head and growled. “Leave that alone before you cut yourself, idiot.” The boy stopped and looked up at the black haired servant boy. “Hey, I just noticed, this is the first time I’ve had to look up to you.” The boy joked, receiving another hit to the top of his head and another grumble of ‘idiot’.

The blonde boy ran down a hallway, Levi following behind. “Why are you here?” Levi asked him. The blonde boy opened a door that lead to a room filled with goods that hadn’t been touched by greedy hands yet. “Why would I not? A chance to see in the home of the royals and have some of their stuff. I’m in. Plus some money would be nice for once.” The blonde boy explained as he picked up a gold necklace off a table and examined it before shoving it in his pocket. “Help me. We could both get a good trade out of some of this stuff.” He said and start opening up random things.

Levi spotted a chest and opened it, inside was a beautiful wedding dress. Levi soon realized, who’s room they were in. The king and queens. “Erwin.” Levi muttered. “Huh? What is it?” The boy asked and walked towards Levi looking in the chest. “Oh..” He whispered out. “Can you help me hide this?” Levi asked. “Hide it? We could make a good-“ Levi cut the boy off with a yell. “We’re not selling it!”

Erwin jumped and stared at Levi in shock, but soon his eyes softened and he nodded. “Okay, Levi. I’ll help.” He says and grabs one end of the chest, waiting for Levi to grab the other. Levi got on the other side and grabbed it. “Where do we put it?” Erwin asked. “In one of the servant doors?” Levi suggested. “Yeah, that could work.”

They lifted the chest and dropped it right in front of the wall, where one of the doors where located. Levi opened the door and turned the chest, sliding it in. It was a perfect fit, thank god.

The two boys went back to raiding the bed room, Levi spotted a little chest on the dresser. He opened it and inside was lots of priceless jewels and golds. But one thing stood out, a ring. Queen Carla must have taken it off before heading to bed. Levi grabbed the chest and went back to the secret door, opening it and shoving the little box in with the other. He just couldn’t take such things. What if one of their children came looking for it? Levi knew what it was like to have lost everything of his mothers. He couldn’t do that to them.

While Levi was shoving the box in, the little music box that he had shoved in his pocket earlier fell out onto the floor. Erwin spotted it and picked it up, examining it. “Seems you need a key to listen to it?” Erwin said to himself out loud. Levi snatched it from him in a protective way, making the blonde boy just laugh.

“Calm down, let me guess it was one of the duchesses and you have a little crush?” Erwin taunted. “No, it’s not a duchesses.” He mocked in a failed admit at sounding like Erwin. Erwin wiggled his eyebrows at him, the two big blonde caterpillars bouncing up and down on his forehead.

“Stop that, it’s weird.” Levi sneered and turned back to face the wall, looking down at the box, his fingers tracing the wings in amazement. “So, is it Maria or Rose or Sina?” Erwin joked. “Fuck off.” Levi said and shoved the box back in his pocket, his fingers gripping the music box tightly before letting go. “Let’s hurry this shit up. So, I can go home and tell my father I lost my job.” Levi says as he starts shoving random things in his pocket.

* * *

 

When Levi got home he was greeted with an unhappy father, his father was sitting at the dining room table, glass in hand. “I heard what happened at the palace.” He said and brought the glass to his lips taking a sip of it. “I’m already looking for another job.” Levi replied. “Erwin and I got some cash though.” Levi pulled out a stack of cash from his pocket and slammed it on the table in front of his father.

 “We sold some things from the palace. There’s a couple hundred there. It should pay for the bills and food on the table for now.” Levi says, his father just stares at it for awhile before pushing it back towards him. “I want you to take it and leave.” He says.

“What?!” Levi sneers. “You don’t like your step mother, I know you don’t. I’ll give you more than this. But I want you to leave. I want you to start your life and stop trying to take care of all of us. Leave before she drags you down too.” He says and pushes the money to Levi, he looks at it unsurely. Levi slowly pockets it and stares at his father. The man slowly stands up and walks over to his coat, pulling out a little brown bag. He walks back over to Levi and holds his hand out to him, bag in hand. “Take this and leave.” He says.

Levi slowly takes it and looks down at it, he opens the bag and gasps. “Where did you get this much?” He asks. “Doesn’t matter, Levi. I’m sure Erwin will let you stay with him and his family. Just go.” He says and sits back down, grabbing his drink and taking another sip.

Levi slowly turned around and walked towards the front door, he took one last look before leaving out onto the streets, heading toward Erwin’s home in the hopes he’ll let him stay with him, till he finds a place to stay.

* * *

 

“Thanks, Erwin. This means a lot to me.” Levi says.

“It’s nothing. Mother loves you and doesn’t mind.” He replies.

Levi and Erwin were sitting at the kitchen table, Levi eating some soup Mrs. Smith had made for lunch for the kids. “I couldn’t just leave you on the streets, now could I?” Erwin says, with a laugh. “You would probably do that to me. But I wouldn’t to you.” The blonde boy says and takes a sip of his soup, looking over at Levi. “I have an idea.” Erwin says.

Levi sighs, he exhausted as is, it’s not that Erwin’s ideas are horrible. They’re great if you want to be shoved in jail, yes. But other than that, they always got a good dime out of them.  Levi thought ‘I could really use a drink right now’ but knowing Erwin he wouldn’t let him. So he just stuck to his soup and listened with an open mind. Erwin could come up with some weird shit sometimes, like he once wanted to kidnap the king and this other crazy bullshit. It took Levi three days plus the promise to hold hands with Hanji for him to stop.

Hanji was a beautiful girl- to everyone else -that was friends with the two low lives Erwin and Levi. Hanji was one day going to be successful, he could tell. Even if she was gross, she was smart. He respected her as a friend and could even call her family. She was always there to help him get his ass out of bad situations and even helped Erwin with his crime like ideas. Levi secretly hopes they end up together but them both being work alcoholic he doubts it will ever happen.

“So, what’s your big idea?” Levi questions.

“A little rumor has been flouting around about duke Ral, he’s looking for his daughter and will pay a nice price for her return.” He said with a smirk. “And this has to with us how?” Levi says with a pointed look. “I’m saying, let’s bring him his daughter.” He says, turning his body to face Levi’s side. “Do you know where she is?” Levi asks, spooning some more soup into his mouth. “No but-“ Levi cuts him off by throwing a spoon full of soup at Erwin’s face. “Then we can’t do anything.”

“Oh but we can! We can make her!” He says with a wide grin.

“Make her?” Levi says with confusion in his voice, he didn’t understand what Erwin was suggesting.

“He’s looking for his daughter. We can make her. She had strawberry blonde hair and beautiful amber eyes. She should be easy, we look for a girl with those eyes and that hair, plus she’d most likely have her mother’s height and her father’s smile.” Levi nodded his head here and there to show he was listening to Erwin’s rambling. “We could make a lot of money off of this type of thing, Levi.” He says excitedly. “And if we get caught?” Levi asks. “We won’t. I promise.” He says.

**The deal was sealed they were doing this…**

* * *

 

Two months later, they were sitting on a nice bag filled with riches. They met a girl named Elsa, she had pretty strawberry blonde hair and amber eyes. She was very kind and came from an abusive family. When she came to them, she was against lying to the family. Till she realized, that their daughter was probably dead. Just having someone like her, was probably going to be a relief then finding out she was dead. She deserved some happiness too , right?  She just wanted to be loved as well. So with two months of training, the boys had a new and improved Petra Ral.

That was the start of the little schem the two boys had come up with. It didn’t end there either, they continued on after that. A rumor even spread around about them. They loved it, they made money, it was easy and no one would ever know.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since I have laptop at the moment . I can't do much on a cell phone. I'm sorry for any mistakes.  
> Enjoy!

Duchess Mikasa Ackerman had returned to Russia a few days later in search for Erestasia. After days of searching she had found sadly nothing of Erestasia. No traces of the happy child she knew. She searched orphanages and questioned many villagers. She was led on by many of them, she offered riches, she begged them. 

Finally on her last straw, she went back to the palace, the place she had been to many, many times. What she saw, almost pushed her into a deep depression. The palace she had grown up in was no longer bright and beautiful. The carpet was ripped to shreds and covered in dried up blood, the walling covered in scratches and spray marks of dried blood from the ones that had not made it. The furniture missing and knocked over, doors that were never open and always shut, were either missing or wide open.

Mikasa knew what she was walking into when she found the familiar door of Carla and Grish's bedroom but she still entered. The place she had always hid in when Erestasia and her were playing hide and seek, was no longer a friendly place, the bed was missing, the dresser knocked over, the curtains torn down to show the outside world.

She had no choice but to order the guards to clean up as much as possible and board up the castle she once loved. She couldn't bare to stay in such a place, try and fix it. What would be the point? If there was no Grisha and Carla. No Maria, Rose, Sina, and Armin? She couldn't bare to live in a world without them... without Erestasia. 

On the fateful day, she left Russia.

* * *

Over the years Duchess Ackerman would return to Russia in the hopes that Erestasia would be returned to her. She wasn't lucky though. Everytime she returned to that place, she left it with disappointment. 

Mikasa, slowly, over the years healed as best as she could. She built up walls, she raised her kingdom. On Erestasia's 15th birthday, she sang their song for the finale time. Alone in her bedroom, she sat by the window and watched as the snow fell. With each word that fell from her lips, she sobbed harder. Her family was gone. Her life was gone. That day she had lost them, her parents hadn't made it out as well. She hadn't just lost friends, she lost family as well. She lost everyone. If she had just held onto his hand tighter, he'd be here by her side.

Mikasa always blamed his death on herself, it was her fault. She should've put him on the train first, she should have.

After his 15th birthday she stopped visiting Russia her focus on her kingdom now. He was dead, she needed to accept this. The walls she had built, were now made of unbreakable stone.

"Once upon a December..." Was her last whisper to Erestasia before she locked up her heart for good.

\-----

In the year 1916, a few months later after Erestasia's 15th birthday, she accepts a husband. She accepts the idea of an arranged marriage to another man by the name of Duke Reiner Braun. After a week of preparation they are officially married.

Duke Reiner Braun was a nice man but like all, he had a secret, his secret was another lover by the name of Bertolt Hoover a not in anyway rich or royal. It was not illegal for men to be with men in the UK since the beginning of 1911 but for royalty to be gay was frowned upon. With no heir their was no future for the Braun line. 

When Mikasa found the two lovers, Reiner was on guard scared his wife and Queen would try and kill Bertolt for doing such a thing but she only smiled. 

It shocked him when she only said the simple words. "I approve." and walked away.

After a year of marrige, Mikasa was introduced to Annie Leonhart, Reiners apprentice. They hit off beautifully. Annie brought a feeling back into Mikasa's heart she hadn't felt in years. Love. But all things come to an end sooner or later.

* * *

In the year 1917, Mikasa had fallen ill. She soon found out she couldn't bare a child for Reiner as everyone hoped. Not long soon after, she found out she was diagnosed with cancer. A disease with no cure. 

While sitting in her little officer with her assistant Hanji Zoe, she brought the subject up.

"Hanji." She called out to the brown haired woman, sitting in the chair across from her, sipping from her tea cup.

"Yes, Mrs. Ackerman?" Hanji replied, putting down her cup of tea on the little plate.

"I have only months left, the doctor says." After those words, Hanji gasped.

"What do you mean, Mikasa!?" She yells in bewilderment, a look of shock on her face.

"I have cancer." She says after a few beats of silence. 

"Mikasa have you told the others?!" Mikasa quickly cuts off Hanji with a yell. " you mustn't! They can't know!" Hanji freezes, her eyes wide behind her thick rimmed glasses. 

"I need your help with something. I have only one thing I want before I'm to die. One request I know Reiner would never decline me of." Mikasa explains to the other woman. 

"I need you to find him. I want to find him, see him with my owm two eyes one last time. Please." She begs the other woman, her eyes filled with tears that Hanji had never seen. No one in their whole life has ever seen Mikasa cry in their whole life. The thought was even absurd, impossible. 

"I will do everything in my power, your majesty." Hanji says, her tone serious as she stands up, saluting.

"I want you to promise me as a friend, you will try and help me find him.. Find Erestasia." She whispers, grey clashing with brown behind glass that reflects the tears trailing down porcelain cheeks.

* * *

The months that passed on gave no trouble to Mikasa's health. She never once spoke of her cancer to the others or her people, standing tall at every gathering and ball. She lied every night to her secret lover Annie before they went to bed, reassuring the other woman she was fine. 

As the new year drove by, Mikasa's health worsened, with every hack and cough she lied, pushing it aside as a cold. The days she stayed in bed grew, the lies became unbelievable to the others. The people stayed unknown to what was happening behind the stone castle walls.

Hanji knew now they had a limit to their time, during a gathering of people, Hanji had one of the guards announced her message.

" This correspondence derives directly from the Seat of her Royal Highness, Mikasa Ackerman, Ruler of our Sovereign Nation by rite of Our Lord. She requires the attention of all people, spread this message far and wide to everyone you know! She wishes to seek out the long lost, last remaining of the Sovereigns of the Imperial Russia, Erestasia Yeager, youngest son of Grisha II and his wife, Carla Alexandra. She offers a large amount of riches for the return of Erestasia! Whomever returns the real Erestasia to her within 106 days will be well rewarded." The guard yells out clear as day to the people. On each side of the guard are other guards, they hold baskets filled with flyers. They dump them, the people showered in paper, some catching them, some fighting over them.

Mikasa watches from her balcony, Reiner looks at her with a soft smile. "We'll find him." He whispers to her.

"I hope." Mikasa whispers to herself more then her king.


End file.
